Red Wings try to avenge season-opening loss to Blues

The Detroit Red Wings will try to get some payback for a brutal season-opening loss when they host the surging St. Louis Blues in Friday's Central Division clash at Joe Louis Arena.

The Blues dominated a visiting Detroit club on Jan. 19, scoring two goals in
each period to earn the 6-0 victory. Vladimir Tarasenko and Chris Stewart each
posted a pair of goals in the lopsided win.

That win ended a four-game losing streak in this series for the Blues. St.
Louis has still lost three straight and six of its last seven in the Motor
City.

St. Louis enters Friday's rematch riding a four-game winning streak, and with
12 points on the season, only San Jose and Chicago are ahead of the Blues in
the NHL standings. At 6-1-0, St. Louis is off to its best start to a season
since going 7-1-0 to kick off the 1997-98 campaign.

The Blues played Thursday evening in Columbus and posted a 4-1 victory over
the struggling Blue Jackets. David Backes led a balanced offensive attack with
a goal and an assist.

Barret Jackman, Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for the
Blues and Brian Elliott made 24 saves in the victory.

"He was great," Jackman said of Elliott. "He gave us a lot of confidence."

The Blues are 3-1-0 on the road this season and are capping a two-game trip in
Detroit. After Friday's test, St. Louis is idle until Tuesday when it opens a
four-game homestand versus Nashville.

The Red Wings will try to post consecutive wins for the first time this season
in Friday's game. Detroit is 3-2-1 on the year and is coming off Tuesday's
home win over the Dallas Stars.